Life's lesson... maybe...

Ever seen the dark clouds as they grow onto the sky...darker and darker... till it doesn't feel like afternoon any more... n then the rain...first a drop..then a shower n then like they say 'rains cats and dogs'.... I love the rain... No one likes it when everything planned is rained out...stuck in the middle of nowhere, waiting for the water to just stop! but.. nothing happens...n then as i look up to the sky to ask God why now...i see something really awesome....something that makes me think.... makes me learn...

As the rain wets the earth...the dark clouds wither away...the sky...brighter and brighter... its blue again... i see white clouds now... the rain reduces... but as it passes teaches me some new lessons...
one of them - patience...n another...

true that i should never give up...
but equally true that sometimes i should let go -
may seem a loss then,
but in the broader picture, may be a bigger gain -

and most importantly...

there's always the bright sky beyond the dark clouds -
waiting to come fore ...
sometimes you have to brush the clouds aside yourself...
and sometimes, you just need to wait for the clouds to wither away....

And now...somewhere far from where i stand...
i see black clouds gathering over another land...
n then the same circle begins...
perhaps to teach these same lessons to another mortal
who like me may be a li'l unreasonable... :)

That brings to my minute and inquisitive mind another question...
why is it that each of us humans have to individually, learn personally of life, the same lessons..... :)

I love the rain.... :)

Options

Why is there always an 'either-or' option in life...
Why is it so hard to get it anywhere close to an 'and' choice...

Joy

The feeling of joy,happiness, satisfaction you get out of doing something special for your loved ones is invaluable.... Feel like i'm on Cloud number 9...

NOISE!!!???

Why is it that people are so obsessed with creation of noise these days??? Be it any of the smallest or biggest of functions...we have loud music blaring from those pillars of loud-speakers that are easily available to create nuisance!!!

Seriously..a few days back i heard the loudest music that i have EVER heard in my entire life!!!And even if that voice was very 'madhur' and even though it may have been the best singer in the world, at those decibel levels and at that pitch and at 1 a.m. in the night it was hardly melodious; and if i may say, it was rather a "heart-throbbing" (in the literal sense) or heart-thumping or heart-stopping or ..whatever nuisance to all those peacefully sleeping souls...

That day they managed with recorded noise, while this time cometh a bright idea - that of using the loudest and persistent cracker bursting noise!!! What's with these people??? "Aur ye sab raat ke us peher mein jab har seedhe insaan ko sukhad meethi nidraa aati hai". Perfect timing!!!

God knows when and how they will understand, that on religious occasions by playing the bhajans louder, it's not that the God's are going to hear it. The people who you respect and idolize(with due respect) are not gonna come back and bless you for playing loud songs in their praise! The happiness you feel on good things in your life is not going to double by blaring out noise from loud-speakers and getting drunk n dancing in front of the same speakers in a crazy manner. Do all this, if you have to, in your own home for heaven's sake and not on the roads!!! And by the way, no couple will have a happy married life just because the best and most noise-making, polluting and garbage-creating crackers were burst during the 'pheras'!!! Phew...! anyway... Jaago aur jagaao...but not-this way!!!

Alas... as of now...it seems it will only get louder by the day :( unless some strong action and good sense prevails...or some activists take charge of this for the common good rather than their hideous selfish political interests... Jaago aur jagaao...and yes-this way...

My experience of meeting the great Padma Vibhushan Pandit Birju Maharaj ji...

At this point, I could mention that I have been training in the classical dance form of Kathak for the past 15 years and am on the verge of completing my Nritya Alankar degree in this dance form.

By the grace of God and all thanks to my Guru, I had this wonderful opportunity of meeting the great and most acclaimed dancer of today, Pt. Birju Maharaj ji. It was surely one of the best moments of my life when i sat by Maharaj ji's feet,while he asked my Guru questions about me :) :) :). Its beyond my words to express the feeling that i had then... He mentioned that he felt really good to see young dancers learning for so long with the same Guru and continuing their learning with so much enthusiasm and dedication. He also asked whether I had finished my education and gave me a lot of aashirwad :) :) :) {read in hindi} 'Mera rom-rom dhanya ho gaya...'

It was a very short meeting that lasted about a few minutes, but its something that will remain in my heart forever. It's rare that at such a young age one gets a chance to interact with someone soooo great... such a great personality...I was actually awe-struck and wondering whether it was a dream...cos it was indeed a dream come true. And i also got a photograph with him!!! :)

It's so true when people say that the more u grow, the more u earn name and fame, the more humble you become... and that I could see personified in Maharaj ji.
The evening before i.e. Saturday, May 2nd 2009, I attended- 'Shraddha Suman' a show organised by Taalayan Music circle that had Pt. Kumar Bose, Pt. Rajan-Sajan Mishra ji and Pt. Birju Maharaj ji offering shraddhanjali to the great Pt. Kishen Maharaj ji at Ganesh Kala Krida Mandir. The next day, that is Sunday, Maharaj ji was in Nigdi to conduct a workshop for aspiring dancers. Accompanied by Saswati didi who taught to the young dancers, Maharaj ji gave tabla-accompaniment. Many of the kids there are probably too small to understand the greatness of the experience they've had, but they soon will, as they grow.

It was worth learning from Saswati didi, the way she handled the youngsters, the beginners, the little-experienced lot and the very experienced ones. It was beautiful to see her teach them. Gentle, yet firm fun-loving and extremely understanding.

This experience has taught me innumerable things and these i would love to keep forever with me... Putting a few of them down...
Maharaj ji related all the Kathak movements to the nature, it was indeed a beautiful thought that even the youngest dancer present could understand. His depiction of this thought was out of the world.
He re-infused that feeling which my Guru has put into me that your dance should be enjoyed by you, loved by you and then everyone will love it. 'Har ek movement par prem karo. Upar dekho to sundar chaand nazar aaye.Neeche dekho to sampoorna dharti ki sundarta. Saamne dekho to prakriti ki sundarta...'
Saswati didi said...'Ye jo nritya-kala,vidya humare paas hai, wo aisi hai jo koi kabhi bhi humse nahi cheen sakta...kitni bhi koshish kar le..ye humari apni hai...baaki sab jaa sakta hai lekin ye sadaa humare saath rahegi...isko jitna badhao utni badhegi,phoolegi.. '
:) Beautiful thoughts... :)
I hope I can take forward these aspects and keep them always with me by putting them into practice...

In a few words, this was an unforgettable experience for me...
Thank you Tai for this wonderful opportunity... :)